Chance apparatus



Oct. 31, 1939. w. L.. WADE 2,178,193

f CHANCE APPARATUS Filed Feb. 1o, 1938 F/G. l.

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Patented Oct. 31, 1939 para STATES PATENT GFFliCE Application February 1l), 1938, Serial No. 189,863 In Great Britain March 2, 1937 l Claim;

rThis invention relatesto a chance game apparatus of the kind comprising a receptacle containing a number of movable facetted elements such as dice which are adapted to be shaken 5 in the receptacle in order to turn up various markings on the facets which are displayed at a window. An example ofr such a device that has previously been proposed consists of a shallow box having a transparent glass cover extending l kover the` whole tcp of the box, a series of dicelike elements marked on all their various faces with dinfercnt letters of the alphabet beingloose in the bcxtto.. freely turn and move in all directions over the whole internal base of the box, the dice l being shaken to turn up letters making a word and then being aligned along one side of 'the box to spell out a word which is read through the glass cover. n

The device according to the present inven-A tion comprises a receptacle divided into a series of elongated cells arranged in substantially parallel relation, a window extending across the cells, and a series of facetted-elements bearing various letters, numbers, colours, characters or diagrams on the facets loosely fitting in the cells, irl-such rmanner that by shaking or otherwise agitating the receptacle the elements may be caused to turn and to settle in the cells with a single facet of each `element displayed at the window.

In one embodiment of the invention the device comprises a flat' box-like receptacle of any suitabler shape, preferably rectangular, having a series of elongated and enclosed cells disposed in parallel relation, the box having a top glazed cover,

and each cell containing a peripherally facetted cuboid or disc-like element, the elements fitting somewhat loosely in the enclosed or self-contained cells, so that by shaking the receptacle or giving it a sharp knock the facetted elements may be caused to rotate in the cells and take up different relative angular positions, varying sequences of facets on the several elements being thus brought into juxtaposition and being visible through the glazed cover. The facets of each disc may carry 45 different letters of the alphabet, or different numbers or signs, or different colours, or portions of a picture, and by shaking or otherwise actuating the device the facetted elements take up diiferent relative angular positions, the letters, numbers or 50 other features on the different facets forming different sequential combinations throughout the series. For example, if the facets carry alphabetical letters, various simple letter-combinations may appear by hazard on the visible series of 55 facets, or certain sequences of numbers or signs;

(Cl. 27E-143) or, when the facets carryV parts of a picture, certain of the facets may b-ecome so associated as to produce either an entirely complete picture or several only of the facets become associated to produce a greater or less part of the total pic- 5 ture. Each cell may be numbered to correspond with one of a series of designations after the manner of a code, the indications on the facets whether numbers, letters or signs, which become visible after the device has been agitated, giving, 10 with the numbers on the cells, various combinations which may then be de-coded.

Several embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which: 15

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device for emibiting different combinational values of numbers and symbols for use in obtaining a forecast of a series of games, such as football matches.

Figs. 2 and 8 are sectional views respectively 20 on the lines 2 2 and 8-8 of Figs, l and 2;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of a device showing (on the left) how it may be employed for displaying different combinations of letters forming different words, and (on the right) for displaying 25 different parts of human or other figures.

Figs. 4 and 5 show modifications for exhibiting dierent combinations of, respectively, fruit and dice; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views on an en- 30 larged scale of two forms of facetted element for use respectively with the devices shown in 1 and 4.

The device shown in Figs. l, 2 takes the form of a shallow oblong box 2 subdivided transversely 35 by thin partitions 3 into a series of parallel and elongated cells ll enclosed by a glazed top panel or cover, either of glass or transparent Celluloid, all except one longitudinal edge of the glazed panel being masked at 5, leaving a window G along 40 one long edge only of the box, extending across the cell ends. Each cell is enclosed or self-contained, and houses a peripherally facetted cuboid or disc-like element l, the elements being somewhat loosely mounted in the cells fl in such manner that while being capable of angular movement in the cells about an axis transverse to the length of the cells, they are maintained by the cell divisions parallel to one another with their facetted edges visible through the glazed panel 6.

The facetted elements 'l are preferably of the cuboid form indicated in Fig. 6, their transverseI edges or corners being rounded at 8 in order to facilitate angular movement of the elements.

The facets of the Various elements 'l are simi- 55 larly marked in such manner that the device may be employed for obtaining a forecast in game results, such as a football or cricket match. For this purpose across the top of the box above the Window 6 is marked a progressive series of numbers from 1 to 15 denoting various matches to be played, a number being allotted to each of the fifteen or other number of cells, and the four facets of each disc element bearing in sequence the references 1, 2, X and 1, 1 indicating a win for the home team, 2 a win for the away team, and X a draw.

By shaking the box the facetted elements may be caused to move back along the cells beneath the mask and to turn, and if the box be then inclined so that the elements fall again towards the exposed glazed side 6, the elements will then all lie with one only of their facets visible, and the sequence of indications on the visible facets Will then give the results for the different matches denoted by the individual numbers in the sequence 1 to 15. Thus Match 1 will result in a win for the home team, Match 2 a win for the away team, Match 3 a draw, and so on. To ensure an effective tumbling of the elements when the box is shaken, the oors of the various cells may be provided with transverse projections 9 against which the corners of the elements engage when they move along the cells.

With the form shown in Fig. 3, a series of say three elements 1 are located in each cell, the upper portion of the box, as before, being masked at 5 so as to leave a Window 6 for displaying the facetted elements. The facets of the elements may bear different letters of the alphabet, or different parts of a human figure, both forms being shown for convenience in the one receptacle, although in actual practice a separate box would be provided for the respective elements. In the first form different letters of the alphabet are marked on the facets of each element, so that by shaking the box different transverse combinations of letters may be displayed at the window to spell out different words. With the second form a vertical series of say three elements in a cell may be so marked that the facets of the top element bear the head portions of different human figures, those of the middle element the trunk portion with arms, and those of the bottom element the legs. The trunk and leg portions are provided with different articles of clothing on the various facets of the middle and lower elements, so that on shaking the box the facets of the elements may become so associated as to compose figures Wearing various kinds of clothes, say a lounge suit, military or naval uniform, to represent a civilian, soldier, sailor and so on, or figures with combinations of such clothes.

With the device shown in Fig. 4, the facets of the elements bear pictures of various fruits, the elements being of the cubical form shown in Fig. 7, having rounded corners 8, and the four facets of each element displaying pictures of, say, an apple, banana, pear, and a bunch of grapes. By shaking the device various combinations of fruit may be displayed. Such a device may be employed for educational purposes in teaching the names of the fruits and other articles.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the elements 'I take the form of dice each having different numbers on its four facets. Alternatively, the facets on each element may be differently coloured and each element may carry a similar set of colourings, so that by skillfully shaking or otherwise operating the device, a complete red, blue, green or other coloured series of facets may be brought to the visible position to produce a continuous band of one colour. Or the facets may be marked in imitation of the faces of playing cards, the four marked facets of each element bearing, say, the series Ace, King, Queen and Jack. In another form, the facets of some of the elements bear portions of a nursery rhyme, other elements having facets with pictures which, by shaking the box, can be turned up to complete the rhyme.

I claim:

As an article of manufacture, a game apparatus adapted to be held in the hand of the user to produce various combination of figures, letters or designs and comprising a box-like receptacle having a plurality of partitions arranged in substantially parallel and co-planar relation to provide individual cells, a glass panel forming the top wall of the receptacle and partially masked to provide a Window extending across the lower ends of said cells, spaced abutments on the bottom of each cell transversely between the ends thereof, and a multi-faced cuboid element in each cell, said cuboid elements each having their consecutive peripheral flat faces provided with different indications and the edges between said faces being rounded to facilitate the turning of the elements about an axis transverse to the cell when they roll in the cell and strike said abutments as the receptacle is shaken thereby to exhibit different characters upon the receptacle coming to rest after each manipulation.

WILLIAM LEONARD WADE. 

